Class 450 4-Car EMU 450073 South West Trains

The Class 450 is new to the Graham Farish N Scale range of Electric Multiple Units, with Class 450/0 No. 450073 in operation with South West Trains.

Finished in the blue, orange and red livery of the prototype, the model features an empty pantograph well on the roof and is modelled with contact shoes fitted to the bogies. The model is equipped with a powerful coreless motor with a flywheel and is fitted with 6-pin decoder sockets for digital operation.

MODEL FEATURES

• Graham Farish N Scale
• Era 9
• Pristine South West Trains livery
• Set No. 450073
• Comprises Car Nos. 63273 (DMOC), 64273 (TOSL), 68173 (TOSLW) and 63673 (DMOC)
• Destination Blinds for Portsmouth & Southsea
• Directional lighting – switchable on/off via DCC or the chassis-mounted switches
• NEM Couplings
• Accessory pack
• Equipped with 3 x 6 Pin DCC Decoder Sockets – recommended Decoder 36-568A
• Ready to Accept a Speaker
• Length 576mm (over couplings)

CLASS 450 HISTORY

The British Rail Class 450 third-rail DC EMU began service during 2003. They are a part of the Siemens Desiro modular train family. Used for outer suburban services, the Class 450s were built with standard and first class accommodation. The units have a maximum speed of 100 mph (161 km/h). 

In April 2001, 785 vehicles were ordered by South West Trains in order to complete the replacement of its slam-door rolling stock, in accordance with its franchise commitment to do so by 2005, as the slam-door trains were coming to the end of their useful lives, and did not meet modern health and safety requirements. Introduction to service was delayed by the required power supply upgrades capable of powering the new trains, which feature air conditioning, a feature not present in the slam-door trains they replaced. In the December 2004 timetable change, the Class 450 Desiros began serving most intended routes, although introduction was delayed until June 2005 in some areas. The units are owned by and leased from Angel Trains. 

The entire Class 450 series consists of four car multiple units, semi permanently formed as DMOC (A), TOSL, TOSLW and DMOC (B). Now operated by South Western Railway (SWR), the Class 450 Desiro trains operate on certain London commuter rail routes, as well as outer suburban and regional services from London Waterloo, and local services outside of the London area. They are used on all SWR lines.

The Siemens "Desiro UK" family also includes units of Classes 185, 350, 360, 380 and 444. These trains are the most numerous trains in South Western Railway's fleet, and also the most numerous units in the Desiro UK family.